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Georgia

A silhouette of the state of Georgia

Basic Statistics

Georgia's Appalachian counties have a population of 3,537,542 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024)

37 of Georgia's 159 counties lie within the Appalachian Region

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Nearly 1 out of every 10 residents (9.9%) in Appalachian Georgia is Black

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Georgia is the 19th most impoverished state in the U.S., with 12.7% of residents earning 100% or less of the Federal Poverty Level. More than 1 out of every 8 residents (12.9%) in Georgia's Appalachian counties lives in extreme poverty

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More than 1 out of every 7 adults (~14.3%) living in Georgia's Appalachian counties has not graduated from high school

Looking for More Data?

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Check out APPLI's Infographics database for state- and county-level data and downloadable graphics.

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The image is divided vertically. The left half is entirely black, while the right half features a vivid evening sky in hues of orange, pink, and blue. A pattern of small, dark shapes resembling a flock of birds, scattered across the transition from the black to the colorful sky. Silhouetted trees line the bottom, enhancing the contrast with the vibrant sky.
Literacy
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Literacy in Georgia

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23.8% of adults living in Georgia's Appalachian counties read below a 3rd Grade level

39.1% of adults read between a 3rd and 8th Grade level

37.1% of Georgia adults are proficient in reading texts above an 8th Grade level

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A photograph of a sunset, partially obscured by a large, irregular white shape covering the left side of the image. The right side shows a blue sky with pink and white clouds, and silhouetted trees at the bottom
Numeracy
Dark blue silhouette of Georgia with five human figure icons (four white, one gold) above text: "Nearly 3 out of 4 adults living in Georgia's Appalachian counties struggle with basic math."

Numeracy in Georgia

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35.4% of adults living in Georgia's Appalachian counties struggle to solve math problems that require more than 1 step

37.9% of adults struggle to solve math problems that require more than 3 steps

26.7% of adults are proficient in math taught above an 8th Grade level

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Education Data

Georgia Education Data by County

Banks County

The image presents statistical information about Banks County, Georgia, provided by the Appalachian Learning Initiative. At the top, the text states "Appalachian Learning Initiative Banks County, Georgia" followed by "Population: 19,789". Below, on the left, five red and gray human icons indicate that "72.4% of Banks County adults read at or below an 8th Grade level." Within the bottom-left corner, there's a colorful map showing Banks County and surrounding areas, with different regions labeled, including Banks, Franklin, Madison, Jackson, Hall, and others. To the right, there are three data points: "24.2% of Banks County residents earn below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level", "11.8% of Banks County residents lack health insurance", and "17.3% of Banks County adults haven't graduated high school." At the bottom, there's the Appalachian Learning Initiative logo with "APPLI" over a stylized book spine. Below is the source "National Center for Education Statistics, 2020". In the lower right, there are icons for social media with the text "Follow us @APPLIOrg:".
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Percentage of Adults Reading
At or Below an 8th Grade Level

72.4%

Percentage of Adults Who Struggle
to Solve Math Problems
with More Than Three Steps

82.4%

Percentage of Adults Who Have
Not Graduated High School
or Achieved an Equivalent Certificate

20.5%

The image is an infographic about the Appalachian Learning Initiative in Banks County, Georgia, with a population of 19,789. The background is dark blue. At the top, bold white text states the title and population details. Below, on the left, are five white people icons with one shaded differently, symbolizing a statistic about math proficiency. Next to it, text highlights that 82.4% of adults struggle with basic math. In the center is a colorful map of counties, with Banks County highlighted in red. To the right, three statistical facts: 12.8% live in extreme poverty, 9.4% spend over 50% of their income on housing, and 8.9% rely on SNAP for assistance. At the bottom left is the APPLI logo with "Appalachian Learning Initiative www.appli.org" text. On the bottom right are social media icons with a handle, "@APPLIOrg," and the source "National Center for Education Statistics, 2020."
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Resources

Georgia Adult Education Resources

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Health Data

Georgia Public Health Data

Here are a couple of tips to help users access and utilize the information they'll find:​​

 

  • If a data point reads "Suppressed," this means that there were fewer than 10 cases in a jurisdiction. Because of this, the exact numbers have been hidden to protect the patients' identities.
     

  • Incidence and mortality rates are rates per 100,000 residents (e.g., HIV Diagnosis Rate)
     

  • Numbers that are expressed as percentages represent the percentage of the population living with a given health issue
     

  • The Pearson Correlation Coefficient shows the correlation between low literacy proficiency and a given health condition. Numbers range from -1.0 (a Perfect Negative correlation) to 1.0 (a Perfect Positive correlation). The closer the number is to -1.0 or 1.0, the higher the correlation between low literacy skills and the health condition.
     

  • Our sources for these data may be found on our Resources page in the Citations section.

All Cancer Incidence
(2017-2021)

Regional Rate (Per 100k)
(or)
Prevalence
Statewide Rate
(or)
Prevalence
National Rate
(or)
Prevalence

491.1

468.9

444.4

Pearson Correlation Coefficient

0.0

The image presents a horizontal correlation scale ranging from -1.0 to 1.0. On the left end, -1.0 is labeled "Perfect Negative Correlation" and on the right end, 1.0 is labeled "Perfect Positive Correlation." The center, marked as 0, is labeled "No Correlation." The scale is segmented into different correlation strengths: "Strong Negative Correlation" (-1.0 to -0.7), "Moderate Negative Correlation" (-0.6 to -0.4), "Weak Negative Correlation" (-0.3 to -0.1), "Weak Positive Correlation" (0.1 to 0.3), "Moderate Positive Correlation" (0.4 to 0.6), and "Strong Positive Correlation" (0.7 to 1.0).
The image presents data on cancer incidence in Georgia, specifically focusing on Appalachian counties, from 2017 to 2021. The left section features a map of northern Georgia, highlighting various counties in shades of purple that correspond to cancer incidence rates. A color gradient at the bottom moves from light purple to dark purple, labeled with incidence rates ranging from 425.9 to 572.1. In the central part, a text block provides statistics: an average of 17,881 cancer diagnoses per year in these counties, with a rate of 491.1 per 100,000 residents. This rate is higher than the statewide rate of 468.9 but lower than the national rate of 444.4. To the right, two counties, Pickens and Elbert, are highlighted with their higher incidence rates of 572.1 and 541.3, respectively. The background is a gradient of soft purple and gray tones.
Full-Width Graphic
The image presents data on cancer incidence in Georgia, specifically focusing on Appalachian counties, from 2017 to 2021. The left section features a map of northern Georgia, highlighting various counties in shades of purple that correspond to cancer incidence rates. A color gradient at the bottom moves from light purple to dark purple, labeled with incidence rates ranging from 425.9 to 572.1. In the central part, a text block provides statistics: an average of 17,881 cancer diagnoses per year in these counties, with a rate of 491.1 per 100,000 residents. This rate is higher than the statewide rate of 468.9 but lower than the national rate of 444.4. To the right, two counties, Pickens and Elbert, are highlighted with their higher incidence rates of 572.1 and 541.3, respectively. The background is a gradient of soft purple and gray tones.
Social Media Graphic
The image presents data on cancer incidence in Georgia, specifically focusing on Appalachian counties, from 2017 to 2021. The left section features a map of northern Georgia, highlighting various counties in shades of purple that correspond to cancer incidence rates. A color gradient at the bottom moves from light purple to dark purple, labeled with incidence rates ranging from 425.9 to 572.1. In the central part, a text block provides statistics: an average of 17,881 cancer diagnoses per year in these counties, with a rate of 491.1 per 100,000 residents. This rate is higher than the statewide rate of 468.9 but lower than the national rate of 444.4. To the right, two counties, Pickens and Elbert, are highlighted with their higher incidence rates of 572.1 and 541.3, respectively. The background is a gradient of soft purple and gray tones.
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Social Determinants Data

Georgia Social Determinants Data

The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are non-medical factors that influence health outcomes, and include the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, as well as the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life (World Health Organization, 2025).

 

Similarly, the Social Determinants of Learning (SDOL)™ framework defines SDOLs as "social and structural factors outside the individual learner, often beyond the traditional reach of teachers and schools, that can affect learning” (Levinson & Cohen, 2023). These include healthcare access and quality, economic stability, neighborhood and built environments, social inclusion and non-discrimination, educational access and quality, and family group and structural conflicts.

In both frameworks, social determinants can be predictive or correlated to both health and educational outcomes—people without access to a vehicle may be unable to access high-quality healthcare and educational services; people living with disabilities may face structural and discrimination-related barriers to accessing equitable healthcare and education services compared to able-bodied peers.

The infographics in this section highlight over 20 different social determinants, including measures of poverty, energy burden (the percentage of one's annual income spent on energy costs), housing burden (spending 50% or more of one's annual income on housing), and the prevalence of disabilities.

Please find below some tips to help users access and utilize the information they'll find:

​​

  • Numbers that are expressed as percentages represent the percentage of the population experiencing a given social determinant.
     

  • The counties highlighted generally represent the lowest and highest values of a given measure.
     

  • The Pearson Correlation Coefficient shows the correlation between low literacy proficiency and a given health condition. Numbers range from -1.0 (a Perfect Negative correlation) to 1.0 (a Perfect Positive correlation). The closer the number is to -1.0 or 1.0, the higher the correlation between low literacy skills and the social determinant.
     

  • Our sources for these data may be found on our Resources page in the Citations section.

% Bridges Fair - Poor
(2024)

Regional Prevalence
Statewide Prevalence
National Prevalence

36.1%

25.2%

55.8%

Pearson Correlation Coefficient

0.2

The image presents a horizontal correlation scale ranging from -1.0 to 1.0. On the left end, -1.0 is labeled "Perfect Negative Correlation" and on the right end, 1.0 is labeled "Perfect Positive Correlation." The center, marked as 0, is labeled "No Correlation." The scale is segmented into different correlation strengths: "Strong Negative Correlation" (-1.0 to -0.7), "Moderate Negative Correlation" (-0.6 to -0.4), "Weak Negative Correlation" (-0.3 to -0.1), "Weak Positive Correlation" (0.1 to 0.3), "Moderate Positive Correlation" (0.4 to 0.6), and "Strong Positive Correlation" (0.7 to 1.0).
The image is divided into two main sections. On the left, there is a map of northern Georgia highlighting its Appalachian counties in various shades of purple, indicating the condition of bridges within them. A color gradient below the map ranges from light purple, representing 10.7%, to dark purple at 67.1%. Specifically, counties like Gwinnett and Murray are highlighted with their respective percentages of 10.7% and 67.1%. The right side features a large heading: "Bridge Conditions in Georgia" followed by text stating that over one-third (36.1%) of bridges in Georgia's Appalachian counties are rated "Fair" or "Poor." The bottom-right corner depicts a photo of a bridge spanning a calm body of water with the APPLI (Appalachian Learning Initiative) logo and website URL below it.
Full-Width Graphic
The image is divided into two main sections. On the left, there is a map of northern Georgia highlighting its Appalachian counties in various shades of purple, indicating the condition of bridges within them. A color gradient below the map ranges from light purple, representing 10.7%, to dark purple at 67.1%. Specifically, counties like Gwinnett and Murray are highlighted with their respective percentages of 10.7% and 67.1%. The right side features a large heading: "Bridge Conditions in Georgia" followed by text stating that over one-third (36.1%) of bridges in Georgia's Appalachian counties are rated "Fair" or "Poor." The bottom-right corner depicts a photo of a bridge spanning a calm body of water with the APPLI (Appalachian Learning Initiative) logo and website URL below it.
Social Media Graphic
The image is divided into two main sections. On the left, there is a map of northern Georgia highlighting its Appalachian counties in various shades of purple, indicating the condition of bridges within them. A color gradient below the map ranges from light purple, representing 10.7%, to dark purple at 67.1%. Specifically, counties like Gwinnett and Murray are highlighted with their respective percentages of 10.7% and 67.1%. The right side features a large heading: "Bridge Conditions in Georgia" followed by text stating that over one-third (36.1%) of bridges in Georgia's Appalachian counties are rated "Fair" or "Poor." The bottom-right corner depicts a photo of a bridge spanning a calm body of water with the APPLI (Appalachian Learning Initiative) logo and website URL below it.
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Federal Officials

Federal Elected Officials in Georgia

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